Prensalibre.com reports that "... The licenses for El Escobal, approved in 2013, and Juan Bosco, in 2012, are suspended and as a consequence, the San Rafael mine must stop its operations. The extraction plants whose licenses are now invalid are located in Mataquescuintla, Jalapa, and Nueva Santa Rosa, Casillas, and San Rafael Las Flores, Santa Rosa."
 
The Center for Legal, Environmental and Social Action of Guatemala (Calas) filed the case in May, arguing that the Ministry of Energy and Mines did not carry out community consultations prior to authorizing the licenses.
 
The private sector did not hesitate in giving its reaction.  Today, executives from Cacif launched an appeal in the Constitutional Court against the resolution issued by the Supreme Court of Justice.
 
The suspension of these two licenses was announced amid controversy over decisions made by the Supreme Court of Justice among Guatemalan businessmen, who claim that serious damage has been done to legal security and the image of the country as an investment destination in the region.  See: "Flagrant legal uncertainty"
 

Source: prensalibre.com

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San Rafael Mine Still in Limbo

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Industrialists are demanding that the Constitutional Court rule on the request for legal protection that was granted in favor of an environmental group and which is keeping the mine's operations in a state of paralysis.

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After seven months of suspended operations, the company that operates the Escobal mine in Guatemala has announced that it is making 250 workers redundant.

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